According to investigators, about 11:45 p.m., the homeowner heard a commotion outside, looked through the peep hole, opened the front door and saw multiple suspects running toward him. The homeowner, who was armed, fired multiple shots.

One suspect was hit and taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in serious condition.

"I feel safer living next to him," said next door neighbor Michael Wilson. "So if anything happens to us, I'll make sure to call him."

Police are searching for up to three other suspects who took off from the scene after the shooting.

Investigators are still not sure if the family was targeted, or if it was a random act.

"I feel safer living next to him," said next door neighbor Michael Wilson. "So if anything happens to us, I'll make sure to call him."

uh, no...

"Investigators are still not sure if the family was targeted, or if it was a random act."

i reckon home invasions occur within gated communities, just as anywhere else, but doesn't seem like the more desirable environment for bad guys wishing for a hasty egress. anyway, if the homeowner is good guy; glad he prevailed. if not, may or may not come out in the wash...

It is a good area, however as with anywhere else, crime does occur. It is right off the highway and is just several exits away from areas that are not so great.

I agree 100% though that a gated community is not ideal for a home invasion nor is causing a commotion in the front yard of your target to get him to open the door a brilliant idea either. Those houses are at most 10 feet away from each other so that would easily draw the attention of the neighbors.

I also agree that he should have never opened the door. The first thing I am doing if I see 4 people fighting in my front yard is calling the police and staying behind my locked door ready if the situation focuses on entering my home.

Opening the door is not breaking the law. He did the right thing, because if he had waited until they kicked in the front door it may not have gone so well.

No it wouldn't have.....there would have been more than 1 on the floor. At least in my case it would have been a Mossberg 590 staring at the door from about 10 feet back with #4 Buckshot in the tube. 4 people squeezing through a 36" doorway with that aimed at them does not end well for them, I don't care how bad your aim becomes under duress.

Mind you, this would have also been after the 911 call was placed for the fight in the front yard.

No it wouldn't have.....there would have been more than 1 on the floor. At least in my case it would have been a Mossberg 590 staring at the door from about 10 feet back with #4 Buckshot in the tube. 4 people squeezing through a 36" doorway with that aimed at them does not end well for them, I don't care how bad your aim becomes under duress.

Mind you, this would have also been after the 911 call was placed for the fight in the front yard.

No it wouldn't have.....there would have been more than 1 on the floor. At least in my case it would have been a Mossberg 590 staring at the door from about 10 feet back with #4 Buckshot in the tube. 4 people squeezing through a 36" doorway with that aimed at them does not end well for them, I don't care how bad your aim becomes under duress.

Mind you, this would have also been after the 911 call was placed for the fight in the front yard.

Opening the door is not breaking the law. He did the right thing, because if he had waited until they kicked in the front door it may not have gone so well.

There are alot of things that while not against the law are still not the best, most reasoned response.

__________________Bruce I never talked to anyone who had to fire their gun who said "I wished I had the smaller gun and fewer rounds with me"Just because you find a hundred people who agree with you on the internet does not mean you're right.

After thinking about it more, I would like to assume that after the first one came through the door and the rest heard the shot and the racking of the next shell, that the same result would ensue. The other 3 would flee. I sure know that combination of sounds would send me flying in the other direction.

We have had some in my area that are either casing houses for burglary or planning home invasion robberies. Usually a innocent enough looking female knocks on the door claiming to have a flat tire/being chased by a abusive boyfriend/lost and need directions, anything to get you to open the door. When you do 2 of her thug buddies bust in and rob you. If no one answers then they break in the back door and burglarize you.

If it happens to you call the police and let them check it out.

I live in a nice city, but we have a serious burglary problem that has developed in the last few years.

I keep the outside of my house bright as daylight, and the inside pitch black. If a bad guy comes in on me I want him to not be able to see a thing and be more focused on finding a light switch than coming to the back of the house. Its my house, I know the layout and I have the advantage.

I keep a 870 with #4 buck and a P220R with a weapon light in the bedroom with me. I also have a huge dog that loves his mama inside.

Be prepared. It can happen to anyone. Thugs dont rob their neighbors. They go to the suburbs and look for soft targets in nice neighborhoods.